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Seasonal Raptor Closures ***** RAIN AND WET ROCK ***** The sandstone in Zion is fragile and is very easily damaged when it is wet. Holds rip off and climbs have been and will continue to be permanently damaged due to climbers not respecting this phenomenon. After a heavy storm the rock will remain wet, sometimes for several days. PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB IN ZION during or after rain. A good rule of thumb is that if the ground near your climb is at all damp (and not powdery dry sand), then do not climb. There are many alternatives (limestone, granite, basalt, and plastic) nearby. Seasonal Raptor Closures
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Closures in effect March 1 Check for current Raptor closure conditions at:

Description

In the middle of the west face there is a huge overhanging arch. Eye Shadow starts below and left of that arch and climbs the most obvious crack system for four pitches. The route moves left on a ledge then follows a seam to gain the bottom of a huge, rough bowl. Scramble up the bowl (several pitches) to gain a nice big ledge with a huge tree (Camp Burnstown, Guiana) at the base of a thin seam. The route then follows the seam up and through the eye for three pitches. Above the eye, move right and climb over a roof to a stance. Then, climb up and left to a stance atop a block. A pitch of class four leads to the base of a huge steep corner. Climb it to the top. It's fourth class from here.

My buddy and I gave this thing a go last week. We only got up nine pitches, over two days, but it was a wild and interesting adventure. A few notes: Most of the pitches were longer, looser, harder and shittier hauling than we expected.

We didn't find much "4th class" to speak of. You can lead to the large ledge on the top of pitch two with a 70 m, then toss the haul line back down and make one 60 m haul from the ground. It still sucks. The crack/chimney climbing on 3 & 4 is pretty fun and mostly all free. There were some remnants of past epics (a stuck rope, a fixed line, etc) when we climbed. Bring an arsenal of big cams for these and pitch 6.

On the sixth pitch we got completely sandbagged into leading the obvious crack directly above the anchor for pitch five, until it terminated into choss. The actual route takes a crack slightly around the corner to the left, marked with two bushes and a fixed pin. It gradually widens to hands, then to about six inches for a long way. Once on the ledge system at the top of pitch 6 you can climb a left-facing corner to an anchor above, and a good place to bivy unroped (this is directly below the large, obvious pine tree on the "Burnstown Ledge")

From here it seems the best method would be to climb to the top of pitch 9 without the bags, then fix back down to the bivy at the top of pitch 7 (a 70 m rappel will get you almost there with a little downclimbing, but if you were to haul to 9 then it would have to be two hauls) The aid seams on pitches 10-12 leading through the Eye look cool, but the rock seemed damp when we were there at the end of January.

I really wonder if this route has seen a second ascent. It might be a good idea to bring some extra webbing and an emergency bolt kit if you're giving this thing a go. The route goes into the sun shortly after noon. You can find a copy of the original topo at the visitor center. It's almost identical to the one found in Burn's "Select Climbs in the Desert SW" The views of the Court of the Patriarchs and up canyon towards the Streaked Wall are incredible. Probably the best views I've had on a wall in Zion.
Jan 31, 2012